EGGER to invest $700 million in Lexington NC plant

An image from one of EGGER's other plants. The company's headquarters is in Austria.

EGGER, an international wood-based materials supplier, for the furniture, wood construction and flooring industries, has announced that it will build its first U.S. manufacturing plant in North Carolina’s Davidson County.

Over the next 15 years, the Austrian-headquartered business says it will invest $700 million in the particleboard manufacturing plant, which is projected to create 770 jobs. The first phase of the development taking place over the next six years will create 400 of these jobs with an initial $300 million investment.

“This facility will play a critical role in growing EGGER’s presence in the North American market for wood-based materials and ensuring product availability and speed of delivery for our customers here,” Walter Schiegl, EGGER Group CTO and member of the executive board, said in a statement. “Davidson County is the heart of the furniture industry, and we are looking forward to leveraging the skills and knowledge of the workforce here to create a workplace that the local community and state will be proud of.”

The company says it will work with Piedmont-Triad wood suppliers, acquiring wood byproducts from regional sawmills and working with a wide range of suppliers for additional services.

“North Carolina’s legacy as a top state for furniture manufacturing and the availability of a skilled labor force is an excellent advantage for EGGER’s first entry into the U.S. market,” said NC Gov. Roy Cooper. “International manufacturing companies looking to expand in the U.S. will find all the components in North Carolina they need to succeed – including a strong transportation infrastructure, proximity to suppliers and customers, a business-friendly tax environment and of course, access to skilled workers.”

Construction on the multi-phased project is expected to start at the end of 2018, subject to various approvals and permits, and production is slated to begin in 2020.

A family-owned company based in Tyrol, Austria, EGGER says it is a global leader in decorative surfaces using wood-based materials.

“We are as committed today to innovation, high-quality products, our employees and the environment as we were when the company was founded 1961,” said EGGER Group co-owner Michael Egger. “Our mission is to create more from wood, and we will use our 56 years of history and knowledge working with this valuable resource to make this facility a global center of excellence.”